Oxfordshire · London and the South East
Chimney Survey in Fencott
A survey of chimney stacks, pots, flashings and flaunching for Fencott and the rest of Oxfordshire. We survey seven days a week.
- Pots or cowls that look unsafe
- Spalled or crumbling bricks
- Worn or missing pointing
Chimney survey in Fencott
For buyers, a chimney survey before exchange can flag work you may want to raise. On older stacks, we frequently find cracked flaunching, loose flashings and worn pointing. You get photos and findings you can take back to the seller or agent. It works alongside a RICS home survey, not instead of one. Typical surveys look at disused chimneys trapping moisture and staining on walls around the chimney, on brick chimney stacks, chimney breasts and flaunching.
Somewhere as small as Fencott, homes are often older cottages and farmhouses, with outbuildings and some newer houses. Older roofs may be clay tile, slate, stone or thatch, often with chimneys that have stood a long time. We report on everything that’s safely in view, and thatch is a specialist material. Chimneys and lead flashings on old roofs often need the most attention.
The Standard Survey adds moisture detection, a structural check and a follow-up consultation. The Premium Survey goes further, with thermal imaging, drone inspection where applicable, structural analysis and an in-person consultation.
- Location
- Fencott (OX5)
- Region
- Oxfordshire
- Prices
- From £150 inc. VAT
- Report
- A written report with photos, by email
- Appointments
- Weekdays, Saturdays and Sundays
- Cover
- PI and public liability insurance
- Call
- 07833 053749
- Last updated
- 27 October 2026
Prices for chimney surveys in Fencott
Prices always include VAT. The things that change the price are:
- Roof area
- Extra roofs, like extensions, dormers or garages
- If the survey needs thermal imaging or a drone
- The package you choose: Basic, Standard or Premium
Prices start from £150, including VAT. Packages run from Basic at £150 through Standard at £250 to Premium at £400, inc. VAT, and we can help you choose.
Booking your survey
A few details help us recommend the right survey and price. When you get in touch, it’s useful to mention:
- Any stains, drips or damp patches you’ve seen indoors
- Your timetable, such as an exchange date
- The address and postcode of the property
- Any photos you have, taken from ground level or a window
You can call us seven days a week, including Saturdays and Sundays. To book or ask a question, phone 07833 053749 or drop us an email.
What we’re asked to look at in Fencott
A stack takes the weather from every direction. Frost works into cracks in the flaunching and pointing, and rain soaks into worn brickwork. Most people book after spotting damp or a loose pot, or before buying.
Most people get in touch after spotting one of these:
- Damp patches on chimney breasts
- Flashings pulling away from the stack
- Loose, cracked or missing pots
- Eroded joints in the brickwork
Anyone responsible for a site like Charlton-on-Otmoor Church of England Primary School will know that its roofs, gutters and any chimneys need the same checks as a house’s, just on a bigger scale.
Choosing a roof surveyor
- What the survey will not cover
- Which parts of the roof they’ll actually see
- Their track record with similar roofs
- Whether the loft is part of the inspection
Fencott: your questions answered
Can a landlord with a rental near Islip station book a roof survey?
Yes, that is a common request. We just need to know who will give access, and we can send the report to you or your agent.
How do I find out if my home in Fencott is listed?
The council and Historic England’s list are the places to check. It is worth checking before planning roof work, as both can affect what’s allowed.
I live in a flat. Can you survey the roof?
Yes. A shared roof needs access agreed first, with the freeholder or managing agent. Let us know about it when booking and we will explain what’s needed.
Will you check the loft?
Yes, where the survey calls for it and there is safe access. Inside, we look for damp, staining, gaps and sagging.
Will you fly a drone over my roof?
Yes, where it is applicable. Flights depend on the weather on the day and airspace rules, including flight restriction zones near airports. We hold a CAA Flyer ID and Operator ID.
Can you survey at the weekend?
We survey on any day from Monday to Sunday, during the day. Just say which days work for you.
What causes damp on a chimney breast?
Damp on a chimney breast typically means water is getting into the stack, or moisture is trapped inside it. The survey looks at the stack, the flashings and the capping, and record what we find.
How the survey changes by roof type
Chimney pots and cowls
A loose or cracked pot can fall from height. We photograph each pot and note any damage.
Flaunching
We often find flaunching that has cracked or broken away. It’s normally a modest repair when it’s caught early.
Why act early in Fencott
A small amount of repointing or new flaunching is usually a modest job. Left for a few winters, frost and water can loosen pots and bricks and the job gets bigger. In a place like Fencott, a barn or garage roof left to fail puts whatever is inside at risk. A quick look before winter can save a lot.
The cost of a survey depends on the roof: how big it is, how high it is, the number of separate roofs and how it can be reached and seen safely. Prices start from £150, including VAT.
What you get with us
- 5,000+ surveys completed
- Two decades and more of roof surveys
- Clear package prices, including VAT
- Professional indemnity and public liability insurance
Read how roof surveys are priced or what we found on two real jobs.
Fencott homes and their roofs
Cotswold stone slates are found on older buildings in west Oxfordshire, and thatch survives in some of the county’s villages. In this part of the South East, older roofs are mostly slate or clay tile and many newer ones concrete tile. Whatever the covering, it is frequently the fixings, flashings, valleys and gutters that give out first. The wider area around Fencott has a long history of building, with Boarstall Tower about 3.2 miles south-east. On older houses around here, roofs often carry the marks of earlier repairs, from replaced slates to new lead, and any change of roofing material on a listed home needs checking with the council first.
For businesses in and around places like Bicester Avenue, a dated report on the roof is useful for planning and for any lease discussions. For landlords with property near Islip station, a roof report between tenancies helps plan work before a small defect becomes a tenant’s leak.
Fencott is about 4 miles south of Bicester, in Oxfordshire. Fencott is one of many places we visit across Oxfordshire, for homes and businesses alike. Fencott is one of the places in Oxfordshire where we work for chimney surveys. You can also see our page for Oxford.
Chimney surveys in OX5 work the same way as everywhere else we cover. Nearby, we also carry out chimney surveys in Murcott (1 mile south-east), Charlton-on-Otmoor (1 mile west), Merton (1 mile north), Upper Arncott (2 miles east) and Wendlebury (2 miles north-west). We also work in nearby towns such as Oxford (7 miles south-west), Bicester (4 miles north), Abingdon-on-Thames (12 miles south-west), Witney (14 miles west), Thame (11 miles south-east) and Kidlington (5 miles west).
Around Fencott
In Fencott, that means homes and buildings near The Crown pub and the streets around them. Fencott’s nearest station is Islip station, about 3.2 miles west of the centre. Well-known places in the area include Bicester Avenue (3.2 miles north) and Bicester Community Hospital (3.8 miles north). Open spaces near Fencott include Otmoor RSPB reserve and Graven Hill.
Checking the roof from ground level
Keep a simple record: dates of leaks, photos from ground level and any work done on the roof. Send it with your enquiry, as it helps us focus the survey.
During heavy rain, look at the gutters from ground level or a window. Overflowing water can point to a blockage or a sagging run.
Places near Fencott
What else we do in Fencott
How it works
Time on site depends on the size and shape of the roof; as a rough guide, the survey takes between one and two hours for a house; commercial roofs usually need 3–4 hours. If you have questions on the day, just ask. Somewhere like Fencott needs a little journey planning: let us know about lanes, gates and parking. The roof is looked at from ground level, from windows, from the loft where there’s safe access and from the roof where it’s safe.
- We start by noting which stacks are in use, shared or causing concern.
- We check the roof around each stack, including the flashings.
- We look at the flaunching and pots on every stack.
- We note the brickwork, pointing and any sign of leaning.
- The report explains the condition and which work is most urgent.
Before we arrive
- Let us know where we can park nearby
- Have any paperwork from past roof work to hand
- Leave a clear route to the loft
Booking a survey
Every survey is priced before it’s booked, so you know the cost up front. Our price is from £150, including VAT. For a price for your roof, call 07833 053749 or use the contact form.